Sunday 8 September 2013

WCQ: More teams seal their play-off places in Africa

African champion Nigeria and surprise package Ethiopia reached the final playoffs for the World Cup after winning last-round group games on Saturday.

Burkina Faso also kept their World Cup hopes alive by beating Gabon and overtaking Republic of Congo in the race to make the decisive 10-team ties starting next month.

Five teams will eventually emerge from the playoffs in October and November to represent Africa in Brazil next year.

Nigeria saw off Malawi 2-0 in Calabar through goals early in the second half from Emmanuel Emenike and Victor Moses, ending a tense standoff between the countries in the leadup to the game. Malawi coach Tom Saintfiet reported Nigeria rival Stephen Keshi to FIFA over alleged racist comments ahead of the winner-take-all Group F matchup.

Ethiopia won 2-1 over Central African Republic in neutral Republic of Congo to qualify from Group A and eliminate 2010 World Cup host South Africa, which beat Botswana 4-1 in vain. Ethiopia's winner came, ironically, from Minyahile Beyene.

Minyahile was the player whose presence in an earlier qualifier while suspended led to Ethiopia forfeiting a game and having its progression put on hold.

African Cup runner-up Burkina Faso leapfrogged Republic of Congo with a precious Prejuce Nakoulma winner to beat Gabon 1-0. Republic of Congo's 2-2 draw with Niger in Niamey proved costly as it surrendered the qualifying position from Group E to the Burkinabes, whose memorable year continued after they surprisingly made the African Cup final in February.

Top-ranked African team Ivory Coast had already qualified for the playoffs before a 1-1 draw with Morocco in Abidjan, where Didier Drogba hit an 83rd-minute penalty for a draw for the Ivorians. Ghana qualified on Friday, while Egypt and Algeria also are already through before their final group games on Tuesday.

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